sábado, 10 de setembro de 2011

À espera.../ Waiting...

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Enquanto na horta as plantinhas recém plantadas crescem com alguma dificuldade, por culpa deste calor que teima em não ir embora, a coberto da sombra do alpendre muitas outras crescem à espera do dia em que, finalmente, serão plantadas. Desde que comecei com a horta sempre tive duvidas sobre qual o melhor método para semear, se por sementeira direta se semeando em módulos e mais tarde transplantando. Algumas espécies, segundo a literatura devem ser semeadas por sementeira direta e não em módulos (o caso das beterrabas, por exemplo) no entanto desde sempre o sucesso da sementeira direta (na minha horta) é francamente reduzido (excetuam-se as leguminosas como as favas, ervilhas e feijões) pelo que agora opto por semear em módulos e mais tarde transplantar.

While the recently planted cabbages are fighting for their lifes in the vegetable garden, lots of other plants are growing happily under the porch save from the high temperatures and the strong direct sun light. I've always had my doubt to what would be the best way to start the seeds, if by direct sowing in the garden or by sowing them in sowing trays. The first seemed to be the easiest, the more natural way, and the one recomended for many vegetables. The second, much more labor intensive, and not recomended for a few seeds like carrots, beets, turnips (at least if we were to trust everything we read). Nonetheless direct sowing has never worked for me (apart from the legume family) so now I always start the seeds in sowing trays. 

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Normalmente em cada módulo são semeadas varias sementes que depois de germinadas são escolhidas mantendo-se apenas a mais vigorosa. Este ano no entanto optei por fazer as coisas de modo diferente. depois de germinadas deixo as plantas crescer um pouco e depois separo-as e planto cada uma no seu módulo. Desta forma, embora tenha mais trabalho, acabo por rentabilizar mais as sementes e tenho muito mais plantas para levar para a horta. Comecei por fazê-lo com plantas "fáceis" como as alfaces e as couves, mas agora resolvi experimentar com beterrabas e espinafres e nabos. Até agora parecem estar a reagir muito bem ao transplante.

I do it a bit differently then usual now. Yes I sow a few seeds in the same module, yes I watch them grow until its time to transplant. What I dont do is the usual thinning of the seedlings, instead I divide them and plant them individually and wait until they are big enough to plant them out in the garden. This way I get much more plants and I'm not wasting any seeds (yes I admit, I hate wasting seeds!). This has worked with the toughest plants like cabbages as well as with beets or turnips.

3 comentários:

Rosarinho disse...

Todos temos sempre as mesmas dúvidas, ontem também plantei algumas leguminosas e cenouras em local definitivo e alfaces em sementeiras, mas fiquei com dúvidas face aos espinafres? Resulta mesmo? :)Essas sementeiras estão com muito bom aspecto!

Matron disse...

I always plant my seeds like that, in modules. We have so many domestic cats around that if I ever dig and rake a lovely smooth seed bed and plant anything... cats will always come and dig them up and use my lovely patch as a toilet! Modules work better.

Jackie disse...

This autumn I decided to try modules for both turnips and swede - a few seeds in each one - as my success rate with direct sowing wasn't that good. Once they came through I snipped off the weakest ones and waited for one to get a few leaves. These have now been planted in their beds and they have really taken off and all of them are doing very well. A little more effort (and I agree it's seems slightly less 'natural') but if it's going to mean 100% success rate then it's worth it.
Meanwhile the direct sowings of parsnips and carrots done in September are not showing any signs at all. I suspect it's just far too hot.